Issue 3 Cool Mini Action from Croft Mini Miglia
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PitPit && PaddockPaddock Official Newsletter of the Mini Seven Racing Club 2019 2019 2019:2019: IssueIssue 33 www.mini7.co.uk DUNLOPDUNLOP MINIMINI CHALLENGESCHALLENGES supported by MINI SPARES 66 Croft winners! MiniMini Se7en:Se7en: NewNew recordsrecords Chills & Thrills! Chills & Thrills! CoolCool MiniMini actionaction fromfrom CroftCroft Thruxton Preview ● Se7en: Thompson takes lead ● Miglia: Deegan & Smith tops ● S-Class: Kendall goes clear ● Libre: Advantage Davis Croft Report Full results Latest news Technical updates Runners & Riders Mini Miglia: From the Archives Even quicker Tales of Thruxton 1 Pit & Paddock 2019: Issue 3 SPONSORS IN THE BEGINNING... ISSUE #3 or those of you ‘starstruck’ at known as the British Saloon Car the thought of sharing a pad- Championship. It’s also surprising CONTENTS F dock with the mighty TOCA just how many BTCC drivers origi- package in 2019, then a little history nally cut their tin-top teeth in Minis, 3 Intro / Title sponsor of the Mini Se7en & lesson is in order - the links be- notably the likes of Steve Soper (‘77 Mini Miglia Challenge - all cars run tween the BTCC and the M7RC are & ‘79 1275 GT champion), Patrick Contacts on regulation Dunlop racing tyres closer than some may think. You Watts (‘79 Se7en champ’), Paul see, the invite to Thruxton on 18-19 Taft, Richard Belcher, Dave Carvell 4 Preview: www.dunloptyres.com May is not the once-in-a-lifetime and Alan Curnow (’75 Miglia event that many may believe. For champ’), while more recent M7RC Thruxton sure, the TV coverage and packed members to try their BTCC hand National Challenge spectator banks are these days the include former Se7en/Miglia champ’ equivalent of The X-Factor for UK Ian Curley, Miglia S-Class titleist Rds 3 + 4 motorsport, but there was a time, in Jim Burrows and newly registered in perhaps a less commercial age, Se7ens, Jeff Smith. The links don’t 6 Timetable: when the Minis could be found as a end there, as longtime M7RC prep- support act to the leading tin-top aration expert Peter Vickers was the Thruxton series. We have to go back before paint and bodywork specialist be- National Challenge the Millennium, to the early ‘90s hind the hugely successful Listerine when TOCA hosted end-of-season BMW M3s in the early ’90s which Rds 3 + 4 ‘Shootouts’ at Donington Park, the went head-to-head with the Ford first in 1992 at which the Miglias Sierra RS500s and Vauxhall Cava- 7 2019 Calendar Title co-sponsor of the Mini Se7en took part in a handicap race against liers. Conversely, legendary Mini & Mini Miglia Challenge - a leading Metros and Fords. The credit laps tuning experts, Richard Longman 8 News Mini aftermarket specialist didn’t quite go to form, and no one and Jon Mowatt were still providing was more surprised to ‘win’ overall A-Series tuning skills to M7RC com- 12 Race Report: Croft www.minispares.com than Peter Calver in his Cherry Red petitors while they themselves were ‘Mini 30’ lookalike. A year later and winning in the major tin-top category National Rds 1 + 2 the presence of newly-crowned back in the day. Not forgetting the Indycar Champion, Nigel Mansell no huge, full-colour Motoring News 16 Croft Gallery less, drew a whopping 60,000 feature a decade ago in which crowd to ultimately see the 1992 BTCC frontrunner Paul O’Neill test- 19 Trophy Spotlight F1 World Champion knocked ed three M7RC machines at Rock- ‘unconscious’, after a clash of ingham. But there’s another good 21 About the M7RC wheels with motoring presenter and reason to feel proud about the ex-F1 racer Tiff Needell, saw his M7RC’s heritage in 2019: the 60th 22 From the Archive Sponsor of the ‘Spax Spectaculer’ ‘Red 5’ Ford Mondeo off into the Anniversary of the Mini itself, a car Improver Awards - for most places wall… The Miglias/Se7ens mean- that in the hands of John Rhodes Thruxton: made up by a Mini Se7en driver in while had their own combined and John Hand- 30 Years Ago - 1989 the race from their grid position runout, Chris Lewis race-testing the ley, et al, origi- proposed 1300cc engine spec due nally helped to 40 Years Ago - 1979 www.spaxperformance.com to replace the original 1-litre Miglia create the sa- 50 Years Ago - 1969 unit in 1994. Yours truly was the last loon car racing Se7en home... There were half-a- phenomenon dozen other meetings between the that is now the 30 Roll of Honour: late ‘80s and early ‘90s, at Doning- hugely success- The Champions ton, Silverstone and Thruxton, and ful BTCC as we Sponsor of the Fastest Lap awards before that, one or two events in the know it today ● 33 Know Your Rivals early ‘80s when the series was then RW www.pipercams.co.uk CONTACTS EDITOR COMPETITION MANAGER / TECHNICAL SUB-COMMITTEE REP Richard Williamson MERCHANDISE Gareth Hunt e: [email protected] Mike Jackson e: [email protected] Series partner to Mini Miglia e: [email protected] REPORTERS TECHNICAL SCRUTINEERS www.ohlins.uk.com Roy Sisley, tba... MEMBERSHIP Steve Wood Barry Payne e: [email protected] PHOTOS e: [email protected] Julian Affleck Matt Barrington e: [email protected] www: mbracephotography.co.uk TREASURER Pete Waller, Colin Watkins, Jeffrey Parish CLUB SAFEGUARDING OFFICER Series partner to Mini Miglia Stephen Colbran e: [email protected] Amanda Proctor e: amandaproctor0510 WEBSITE / SOCIAL MEDIA DRIVERS REPS www.ohlins.uk.com @hotmail.co.uk Stephen Colbran Mark Sims (Miglia) e: [email protected] e: [email protected] CLERK OF THE COURSE Darren Thomas (Se7en) Chris Gibson CHAIRMAN e: [email protected] e: [email protected] Nick Cooke Ben Butler (S-Class) e: [email protected] e: bwdecoratingservices COMMERCIAL MANAGER @gmail.com Sponsor of the Race Trophy awards Colin Peacock Phil Harvey (Libre) www.curleyuk.com e: [email protected] e: [email protected] www.mini7.co.uk 3 Pit & Paddock 2019: Issue 3 PREVIEW:PREVIEW: Thruxton...Thruxton... NationalNational ChallengeChallenge 1818-1919 May...May... - Photos: M7RC Archive (M Barrington + P Waller) + (M Barrington Archive M7RC Photos: Photos: M7RC Archive (M Barrington + P Waller) + (M Barrington Archive M7RC Photos: Miglia Lap Record Kane Astin Time: 1:29.270 Ave speed: 95.01 mph ANY TRIP TO THE HAMPSHIRE CIRCUIT ALWAYS PROVIDES GREAT Set: 3 Junemile circuit 2018 MINI RACING AND SO AN INVITE TO SUPPORT THE MASSIVELY POP- 2.356- ULAR BTCC PACKAGE IS SURE TO APPEAL TO THE THOUSANDS OF SPECTATORS EXPECTED FOR A PACKED WEEKEND OF ACTION... was demonstrated at Croft last Miglias, Joe Thompson has immedi- Mini Libre month. Both Lee Deegan and reigning ately joined the front-running pace, MINI MIGLIA he ‘Free Formula’ category champion, Aaron Smith, took a win including a win at the Silverstone t seems that the ‘leap of faith’ apiece and come to Thruxton on Winter opener, so will be one to look saw a battle royale at Croft in April, and the entry for this introduction of ‘stock’ perfor- equal points at the top of the table. out for. Dark horses who could also TT April, and the entry for this event promises more of the same. mance parts a couple of seasons In third overall, twice Miglia champ’, spring a surprise include Rob Howard I Rob Davis leads the standings after Rupert Deeth will want to open his and Chris Morgan, the latter a former ago has had a positive effect on a double victory in North Yorkshire, 2019 winning tally sooner rather than 1.3i Mini ace. As ever, a host of sea- Miglia numbers, as entries are now but newcomer Josh Evans will be matching and, in some instances, later, as will 2015 champion Kane soned Mini racers bring out their cars one to look out for after his pair of surpassing those of the traditionally Astin, while Colin Peacock and top from time-to-time to join in what second places, both following re- healthier Se7en registrations. What it historic F1 racer Nick Padmore have promises to be a landmark event for covery drives from the tail of the has also achieved is regular trains of been first past the flag on more than the M7RC, the likes of Niven Burge, field. Justin Cooper lies third in the cars battling it out for the lead, as one occasion. In his first season of Gordon Pocock and Wayne Grayer (a standings and will be hoping to add former Winter Miglia champion) to his trio of victories from last sea- having been watching from the side- son, while reigning class champion lines for a few seasons, while another Phil Harvey will be looking to make returning champ’, Endaf Owens, has up the points deficit after a double- been preparing cars for several other DNF last time out. Of the rest, 2017 people. Mini Miglias and the fastest title winner Peter Crewes is a poten- circuit on the calendar - a potent mix tial winner too in his 7-port machine, guaranteed to entertain! ● now fully straightened after its Snet- terton prang last year, likewise Peter Hills in his re-shelled, 16-valve ex- PREVIOUS WINNERS: ample. Steve Baker returns after a 2018 D Drew / A Smith couple of outings in 2018, while 2014 R Deeth / K Astin another newcomer, Dan Lewis 2012 P Baldwin / C Peacock makes his debut in the category ● 2011 E Owens x2 Libre Lap Record 2010 P Thompson / D Drew Jonathan Lewis 2008 P Baldwin Time: 1:30.104 2007 A Hack Ave speed: 94.13 mph 2005 P Baldwin Set: 3 June 2018 2003 P Baldwin 2.356-mile circuit 2002 B Sollis 4 Pit & Paddock 2019: Issue 3 ...PREVIEW:...PREVIEW: ThruxtonThruxton ...National...National ChallengeChallenge 1818-1919 MayMay - Se7en Lap Record Paul Thompson Time: 1:37.933 ...FOUR RACES OVER THE TWO DAYS SHOULD PROVIDE PLENTY OF Ave speed: 86.60 mph SUPERB FOOTAGE FOR THE ITV CAMERAS, HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE SATURDAY A PRECURSOR FOR BOTH SUNDAY ENCOUNTERS GOING Set: 21 Aug’ 2005 OUT LIVE TO WHAT IS REGULARLY A HUGE ARMCHAIR AUDIENCE 2.356-mile circuit Photos: M7RC Archive (M Barrington + P Waller) + (M Barrington Archive M7RC Photos: Photos: M7RC Archive (M Barrington + P Waller) + (M Barrington Archive M7RC Photos: Mini-7 S-Class having been edging closer to a top unique number #0 on his car to de- spot over the past couple of seasons.